Why Rodney Hates Halloween: A McKay Halloween Tale
by IantojJackh
Summary: UPDATED FOR 2011: What happens to make this day even better for Rodney?    Response to dwparsnip's Halloween Challenge of Rodney and a female companion. What happened to Rodney when he was 13 to make him hate the holiday that falls on October 31?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I wasn't originally going to do this challenge since I'm doing a Halloween chapter for one of my other stories, but this is something I came up with today. It comes in a little long at 1019 words. This is unbetaed so errors are mine and mine alone. So here is my response to dwparsnip's Halloween Challenge.

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**Why Rodney Hates Halloween: A McKay Halloween Challenge Submission**

The year was 1981 and a thirteen-year-old Rodney McKay frowned as he stood in the doorway as he watched his classmates enjoyed the Halloween party his parents forced him to attend. It was a bribe that if he went to the party they would allow him to continue to build _his toys_, as his parents liked to call them, in the garage. It was a nightmare; he hated them and they hated him. The socially inept teenager was given the nickname _Roddy the terrorist_ ever since the incident with the atomic bomb the year before. To make matters worse he had a growth spurt and started going through puberty over the summer. Rodney had gone from a slightly chubby boy just under five feet to a lanky clumsy teenager that was several inches taller than his classmates. He swore he heard a few of the girls whisper his name and start to laugh. The angry teenager decided to not pay attention to the vile behavior of the prepubescent girls.

"Stupid. Catty bimbos. All of them," the frown grew. Rodney was lost in his own world of loathing when Helen Lorenzo, a cute girl with short blonde hair, approached him.

"Meredith, why don't you join us? We're about to play a game. You shouldn't stand there alone," Helen squeezed his arm. "Smile a little. It doesn't hurt." She stood behind Rodney and winked at the girls.

"I…what…no. What are you doing?" he reluctantly let himself be lead toward the group that consisted now of boys and girls. "What game are we playing?" Rodney was uncertain of what they were up to.

"Three minutes in Heaven," she said with a playful grin.

The boy looked nervous, "What's that?"

Helen laughed at the innocence, leaned over, and whispered the rules of the game.

Rodney's face dropped as it was described to him, but he quickly recovered. "That's nothing. There was this girl in Edmonton over the summer..." There was no girl over the summer unless you counted his grandmother's wet kisses to his cheek every morning. He still shivered at the revolting image.

"Why did you invite the terrorist to play?" One of the boys asked, but was nudged into silence by one of the girls.

Rodney rolled his eyes, "Your small brain can't come up with anything else?"

Each person went around and picked out pieces of paper from the bowl and when everyone was done picking, the people with the matching colors paired up.

"Looks like you are with me, Meredith," Helen sized the boy up. "Follow me," she slid her arm around his waist, fighting them urge to be sick. "Here is quiet enough." The two stopped in front of a closet door.

"The closet?" Rodney was confused. "Why in there?"

"It's quiet," the blonde temptress stood on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to his. Helen teased him for a few seconds with a tantalizing kiss before she shoved Rodney into the closest and slammed the door. "That will be the first and last kiss you will ever have. Hope you enjoyed it, terrorist."

Before Rodney could get the door opened one of the boys jammed a door under the knob so it could not be opened. "Come on, let me out," he whined. "This isn't funny." He fought with the door for ten minutes before giving up, knowing he was not going to get out anytime soon. The scared teenager cried to himself, not giving his tormentors the satisfaction of hearing his sobs. It was not until an hour later that he was rescued by Helen's older brother and Rodney did not look back as he ran from the house. From that day, Halloween would be a holiday to forget and loathe.

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Morgan scrunched up her nose, "I don't get it, daddy. Why were they mean to you?" the young child did not understand the story except that the people were mean to her father.

Rodney looked at his four-year-old daughter and shrugged. It was not a story to tell such a young child, but she had asked why he did not like Halloween and once he started, it didn't stop. "They just were mean people."

"You're not going to get dressed with me and mommy? She said we could go trick treating tomorrow," she looked up at Rodney with the best sad eyes she could muster. "Please, daddy," Morgan pushed out her bottom lip as far as she could. "Pretty please," the child wrapped her arms around her father the best her tiny arms could. "I love you, daddy," she placed a big kiss on Rodney's cheek.

The father knew his daughter had him wrapped around her little finger, "Yes, I'll get dressed up too." Moments like this made Rodney forget about that horrid Halloween party.

"You're the best daddy ever," Morgan gave Rodney an extra tight hug.

"Anything for you, baby girl. Now, it's off to bed for you," he picked the girl up and carried her to her bed. After tucking Morgan in and giving her a goodnight kiss, Rodney left the child's room and left the door open slightly in case she needed her parents during the night.

"Why did you tell Morgan that story?" Jennifer slapped Rodney's arm as soon as he turned around. It was the first time she had heard the story and she was mad for him telling such an inappropriate story to a four year old, but she was also sad that happened to him.

"She asked me why I didn't like Halloween. I wasn't going to tell her, but she kept on asking and I caved. Morgan was pouting. How can I fight that?"

"Easy. Say no," she knew it was hard for Rodney to say no to their daughter once she started pouting. Morgan was definitely a daddy's girl.

"What are we dressing as again?" Rodney knew his wife had told him, but he wasn't really paying attention.

"You are Oscar the Grouch. I'll be Cookie Monster and Morgan will be Abby Cadabby."

"The Grouch? Seriously?" he asked with a whine. "That's not right."

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**End A/N:** This is the same Morgan who toasted her parents in the McKeller Flash Fiction piece. This could be just one of the many little stories in her happy childhood. The female companion could either be the nasty Helen or the adorable child.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Had this bouncing in my head for a few days and had to let it out. Unbetaed as mistakes are mine.

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**Chapter 2**

Jennifer laughed and shook her head as she watched her two favorite people in the world asleep on the couch, their breathing almost in synch. The father and daughter had eaten too much candy they had picked up trick or treating and came home with upset stomachs. The wife and mother headed into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea before she would wake the two sleeping beauties to go upstairs for bed.

She had just put a squirt of honey in her tea when she felt a tug at the sleeve of her robe and looked over to see Morgan standing there, rubbing her eyes and sniffling, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"My tummy still hurts," the child wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "And daddy's is making funny sounds."

Jennifer pulled her daughter onto her lap, "The two of you ate a lot of candy. What did you expect?" she tucked Morgan's light brown hair behind her ears.

"Make it better. Please, mommy," Morgan pleaded with her mother.

"Let's get you to bed. I'll get you a glass of water and when you wake up your tummy will be feeling better. How does that sound?" Jennifer stood up, taking Morgan with her.

"You promise?" the child batted her eyelashes. "Can I have a story too? But not one like daddy's. I didn't like that those kids were mean to him. I want a happy story." Morgan did not like the tale told to her the previous evening.

"I'll give you a happy story," she kissed her daughter's cheek and started toward Morgan's room.

Morgan stopped Jennifer at the bottom of the stairs, "I want to say goodnight to daddy first."

"But he's sleeping," she minded the child, knowing her husband would barely stir. _Definitely a daddy's girl. _

"I don't care," Morgan wiggled until she was put down. She ran over to the couch where her father slept. "Night, daddy. I love you," she kissed Rodney's cheek before running back to her mother. "Ready for story now," the animated child marched up the stairs toward her room.

It took Jennifer twenty minutes before Morgan was tucked in and the story happy enough for the child to be satisfied. "Goodnight, sweetie," the mother kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Night, mommy. I love you," the child yawned. "Daddy is still sad from his story. Can you use your special mommy powers to make him not sad?"

Jennifer smiled and nodded, "I'll try." Morgan did have a point and she did not have a chance to talk to Rodney about the story he told. The events of that Halloween had to leave some deep hidden scars on her husband. She had not noticed anything different with Rodney today, but sometimes children noticed things adults failed to notice.

Morgan was half-asleep by the time Jennifer left the room. When she got downstairs, Rodney was still in the same position, as he was when the two females had gone upstairs. Jennifer swore the house could fall down around her husband and he would not wake, but she could tickle a certain spot behind his ear and he would wake right up. She knelt down next to him and tickled that spot and whispered, "It's time to go upstairs. Let's go to bed."

"How long was I out for?" Rodney sleepily rubbed his eyes. The nap had done him good and his stomach was no longer bothering him.

"About an hour and half. I just put Morgan to bed and now it's your turn, but you are a little too heavy for me to carry."

The scientist gave a fake laugh as he sat up, "Funny. I'm not tired anymore."

"Good," Jennifer sat next to her husband. "We need to talk anyway. Are you feeling better?" she took Rodney's hand in hers and laced their fingers together.

Rodney nodded, "All better. What to be need to talk about?" His nose scrunched up in confusion.

"That story you told Morgan last night..." Jennifer started but was interrupted.

"Okay, I know it wasn't something I should have told her..." Now was Rodney's turn to be interrupted.

"She is still upset about it and thinks you are still sad over it. I'm wondering how come you never told me about it," she gave the man's hand an encouraging squeeze.

He shrugged indifferently, "You knew I was picked on as a kid. Didn't think it was worth telling."

Jennifer's hand moved from his hand to Rodney's cheek, "Rodney, you were locked in a closet for an hour. That's serious and it made you hate the holiday for thirty years."

Rodney started to get flustered, "Well, um thirteen is a little too old to enjoy Halloween and this is really the first year Morgan could enjoy it. Therefore, it's different. What happened is no big deal."

"You are a horrible liar, my dear," the worried wife's arms moved around his neck. "You are no longer that lanky geeky thirteen year old. You still may be a bit of a geek, but you are my very sexy and very handsome husband whom I will love until the day I die and who gave me the best gift I could ever ask for four years ago. Our little girl thinks you can walk on water. If I ever get the chance to meet that Helen Lorenzo I will give her a piece of my mind." After her little speech, Jennifer placed a soft kiss of Rodney's lips.

He could not contain the smirk caused by her words, "I knew there was a reason I married you. And what would you say to that vile little girl?" Rodney played along, wondering what his wife would do.

"It wouldn't be what I say as much as what I would do," Jennifer said with a sly smirk.

Rodney held up his hands, "If you are thinking what I think you are doing I don't think that would wise. She is about two hundred fifty pounds and would flatten you in no time."

She shook her head confused, "You've checked up on her?"

"Of course I have," he said as if it would not be a shock. "She's forty-six, morbidly obese, never married, no children, no job and still lives with her parents. Why wouldn't I check in on the people who made my teenage years hell? To see how they made nothing of themselves and I have everything I could ever dream of; beautiful wife who adores me and who I adore, an amazing daughter, great job and nice house and did I mention the beautiful wife."

When Rodney put it that way, it did sound like something he would do. "I wasn't talking about fighting her. I was thinking of showing her how three minutes in heaven should really be played, but I think three minutes is too short. Then there would be the obligatory speech on the effects of karma and how incredible you are and how lucky I am to have you as my husband."

"Really now?" his smirk grew. "Do you want the sappy reply or naughty one?" Rodney did not wait for an answer, "Sappy being that every moment with you and Morgan is like heaven and naughty is me saying let's go upstairs for a demonstration."

Jennifer was touched by the sappy sentiment, but she had something else on her mind, "A demonstration is in order, but I want to give you a little preview of what is to come." She pressed her lips against his for a far from G-rated kiss.

The kiss got Rodney's heart racing, "Hmm. Maybe Halloween is not such a bad holiday after all."

**THE END**


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: I was struck with a bit of inspiration to do a follow up for the Halloween story I did last year. I know it is a few days late, but it came out a bit longer than I expect. Enjoy and don't hesitate to leave a review.

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**One Year Later…**

Morgan stomped around the hospital waiting room hands on her hips, huffing and puffing as she paced the room in her fairy costume. "Why today? Why did they have to ruin my Halloween?"

John had tolerated his goddaughter's pacing and ranting for the last hour and it was time to put a stop to it. There was a trail of glitter where the girl had walked. "Morgan, please sit. They did not do this on purpose."

"I don't believe you. It was supposed to happen in two weeks. This is a conspiracy against me because I broke Mommy's favorite mug. This is my punishment. Daddy promised we could go trick or treating," the child plopped herself on the chair with a flourish. "Not fair," Morgan pouted and swung her glitter covered wand around. After a few moments she smacked John on the top of his head, transferring some of the sparkly material into his hair.

"I said I would take you trick or treating, but you said no. Stop that," John yanked the child's weapon from her hand.

The temperamental Morgan shook her head, "Because Daddy was supposed to take me. You aren't Daddy."

"Then stop complaining," the frustrated man tried to shake some of the glitter out of his head. "You had your chance. Now you have to stay here."

Morgan groaned as she took her wings off and threw them into John's lap. "Can we go out and get candy now?"

"It's too late now. Everyone went to bed and they are out of candy," John tried to counter the tantrum that was about to unfold. It was not too late to go out, but he was not going to give into Morgan's whims.

"Worst Halloween ever," the child was on the verge of tears. "They are having fun in there and laughing at me."

"I'm not sure they are having fun," John was not sure labor would be categorized as fun and he imagined that laughter would be the last sound coming from the delivery room. The end result was a true masterpiece, but getting there was an arduous task.

Morgan rolled her head back and screamed. "Stop mocking me. I want to see Daddy and Mommy now." Meltdown had commenced and tears pour from her eyes like a ferocious storm and her sobs like the howling wind.

John rubbed his forehead as the screaming Morgan caused his head to hurt. He was quickly reaching a breaking point when one of the nurses came in. It was a wonder how Jennifer and Rodney dealt with the tantrums and he could only hope the behavior was a result of Morgan no longer being the baby of the family.

Nurse Helen Delorenzo heard the yelling from ten feet away and was shocked to see all the noise coming from such a small child, "You're Morgan, right?" The middle aged woman with kind eyes felt bad for the child, knowing that it was not fun to be stuck in the hospital dressed up for Halloween with no place to go.

"Maybe," the sobs slowed down to some sniffling. Morgan stared intently on the plate in the woman's hand.

"If you aren't Morgan then can you tell me where she is so I can give her this cupcake? Her mom and dad said it was her favorite." The plate held a yellow cupcake with strawberry-cream cheese frosting and a couple of candy corn next to the small treat.

"I'm Morgan," she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"This is for you," Helen handed over the plate. "You are a very pretty fairy. The purple dress looks very nice on you. I bet you are excited about becoming a big sister."

"No. I don't want a brother or sister. I want it to only be me. Is there a way to keep the thing in Mommy forever?" the upset child started to lick the frosting from the top of the cup cake.

The nurse began to laugh, "It doesn't work that way. A baby cannot stay inside its mommy forever."

"Why? Isn't it comfortable in there? Why come out here where Daddy can break his promise to take me trick or treating?" Morgan sounded like the biggest brat on the planet now.

"So your dad was supposed to take you trick or treating tonight? I think getting a brother or sister is a lot better than getting candy. You'll have someone that looks up to you," Helen tried to reason with the stubborn child.

"But Kathryn says all babies do is cry and make smelly poop. She also said that her mom and dad have less time for her."

"That is not all they do. Just wait until you meet your brother or sister before you form an opinion," the nurse urged the small girl. "I have an older brother and I really look up to him. Just think about it," Helen said lightly patting Morgan's shoulder and went to stand at the door for a few moments.

Morgan was not convinced by the odd woman's claim and hurried to someone she trusted for advice, "Uncle John, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I have one brother. He's younger." John knew Morgan did not need to know the problems he had with David.

"Why don't I know him?" Morgan returned to playing the sweet child and curled up next to her faux uncle.

The mood swings of children never ceased to amaze Sheppard, "Just because. We kind of grew apart. You are a strange little girl you know that?"

"Well, duh. I'm a McKay. What do you expect?" Mouthy words for a young child.

Helen gave pause when Morgan announced her last name. It was a name that haunted her for over thirty years. A mere coincidence. It had to be. McKay was not a horribly uncommon name and it was her own paranoia that made a connection to that Halloween decades ago. The nurse's break was nearly over and she had to return to the nurse's station to finish her shift.

There were no words that would be a sufficient reply to the obvious. "Why don't you get some sleep?" John thought he could use the rest as well and he did not want to pull Rodney from his wife to deal with a cranky child. It was his fault that Rodney had missed Morgan being born and John thought Rodney should be there to watch his second child come into the world.

At first Morgan put up a fight, but twenty minutes she was asleep snuggling up to John as she snored away. It was only a matter of time before John fell asleep too.

Several hours later, an exhausted Rodney wearing hospital scrubs entered the waiting room. The sight of John and Morgan sleeping in the chairs bought a larger smile to his face. "Morgan, sweetie it's time to get up."

"Daddy?" Morgan sat up and rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Can we go trick or treating now?"

"It's too late everyone is sleeping. Do you want meet your brother?" Rodney picked up his little fairy.

Morgan refused to answer, knowing she did not have a choice. Her father would take her anyway.

John stirred when he heard the voices, "It's a boy? Congrats, Rodney. How's Jennifer?"

"Tired. She's feeding him now," his faced beamed with overflowing pride and happiness.

"Haven't picked out a name yet?"

Rodney shook his head, "Not yet. Jen and I wanted Morgan's help with that. What do you say, Morgan? Want to help?" The father kissed his daughter's cheek. He and Jennifer knew Morgan was having a hard time adjusting to the idea that she would no longer be the baby of the family and they wanted to include her in the naming process.

"Ewww," Morgan wiped the kiss from her cheek. "I guess. I have to see him before I know what to call him."

"Good luck," John gave Rodney a sympathetic look.

"Thanks," Rodney rolled his eyes, knowing Morgan was going to be more difficult to handle than his new son.

"Wait! Halloween baby or not?" John called out.

Rodney stopped short of the door way. "Just made it. 2359." All the years on Atlantis and the SGC made military time come like second nature. Without a further word, Rodney took his daughter to meet her brother.

The first thing Morgan heard on the opposite side of the door was the wailing from the newborn. "It begins," she mumbled under her breath.

"Wash your hands first," Rodney put Morgan down so she could wash her hands with sanitizer at the door.

Morgan reluctantly complied and was almost pushed by her father toward the bed where her mother held the crying baby. She looked at the boy for a second before she turned around and used Rodney to hide behind.

The parents exchanged shrugs followed by smiles. They were over the moon with happiness over the newest addition to their family.

"What's wrong?" Rodney frowned about his crying son.

"I think he misses being in the womb. It's a little too cold and bright here for him," Jennifer smiled, completely in love with her son. "Or maybe he just wants some Daddy time."

"That could be," Rodney reached over and brushed his son's cheek with a finger. "Let's see if it works." He gently took the boy into his arms, supporting the head and neck with one hand as he bought the baby to rest on his chest. "What's all the crying about?" Rodney sat in the chair next to the bed.

When the crying did not stop, Morgan squeezed her way onto the bed with her mother. "I know a good name for him."

"What name did you pick out?" Jennifer pulled her daughter close, letting Morgan know how much she loved her.

"Lucifer. Because he is all red and wrinkly and he was born on Halloween. Also he has horns," Morgan pointed to the tufts of hair that resembled horns.

The suggestion made Jennifer and Rodney laugh. It was an interesting choice, but they weren't going to name their son after the devil.

"How do you feel about Halloween now, my love?" Jennifer grinned at her husband.

"It's definitely among my favorite days now," he looked down at his son who was still fussing a bit. "You make up being locked in that closest when I was thirteen. That evil little pixie witch was so wrong and she got exactly what she deserved. I couldn't ask for a better life. I got everything and she has nothing."

A loud slam of the door made the family of four jump. They did not see the nurse who came in to offer some bottle and diaper samples. Helen leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to control the panic. It was not paranoia after all. The curse she had inflicted upon the geeky teenager had rebounded onto her. Rodney McKay had a happy and full family and she only had her job and that had only fallen into place several years ago after she learned someone was inquiring about her. It was the catalyst Helen needed to start to make something of her life.

"There are many happy Halloweens in your future, Dr. McKay."

"We all do. Halloween is not a day to be hated anymore."

**The End!**

A/N: Thanks to Shadows-of-Realm for the Beta and Crye4Me for brainstorming about a bratty 5 year old. I blame the idea of a Halloween baby on the fact that I went to a co-worker's baby shower on Sunday.


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